Meatloaf’s miracle

Thankfully, a member of the public spotted Meatloaf was in a bad way, and kindly took him to a local vet.

They suspected he had suffered a fractured pelvis, but further investigation was needed. We were then contacted to take him into our care, as Meatloaf appeared to not have an owner. Then the hard work started: getting this poorly boy back on his paws and into a loving home.

On arrival, Meatloaf was handed straight over to our Veterinary Team to be assessed, X-rayed, and given pain relief to make him more comfortable. After a closer look at his injury, the team were able to confirm that, sadly, he did have a fracture. And that meant he needed urgent surgery. It was a major operation and he had to be closely monitored afterwards, right through the night.

Although the treatment was a success, Meatloaf began showing signs of struggling to pass urine afterwards. This raised fears that he’d been left with nerve damage. Fortunately, though, the problem was only temporary and soon cleared up. But he was still only at the beginning of his road to recovery.

At first, Meatloaf was supported in our Cat Centre to start his recovery. But we knew he’d benefit more from some extra love and attention in a home environment. So we placed him in the care of one our staff fosterers Charli and her partner, Jason.

As he was still quite delicate from his operation, any climbing or risky behaviour had to be avoided. To help with this, he needed a litter tray that he could get into easily. Any enrichment, such as hidey holes, had to be at a low level too. We provided everything the fosterers needed to get off to the best start with Meatloaf.

After two weeks in their care and two check-ups with our Veterinary Team, Meatloaf was out of the woods and ready for a bit more exercise. So his fosterers introduced some cat steps for him to climb. This helped him to start building up more strength in his muscles.

While Meatloaf was making strides with his physical health, it became clear he wasn’t coping as well behaviourally. Without being able to carry out some of his natural behaviour, and with so much pent up energy, he began showing signs of frustration. For example, being more vocal than usual and getting overexcited – occasionally nipping his fosterers. So they had to get creative to help him, starting with regular play sessions. This included a game that enabled Meatloaf to put his hunting instincts into practice, using a string toy and feathers.

Charli tells us: “We would then give him part of his usual meal to simulate the eating after a hunt. Whenever he was getting frustrated, this game would tire him out, and the food seemed to satisfy him – he would then nap for ages. We would play this game prior to each feeding time or whenever he started to get frustrated.”

A month after his operation, Meatloaf had made great progress in his recovery and was a lot more active. So his pain relief medication was stopped, which was a milestone in his rehabilitation – but Charli still monitored him closely for any signs of pain. She also upped his exercise as he continued to show signs of improvement. A week later, our Veterinary Team gave the green light for Meatloaf to be rehomed.

And we soon found him the perfect match: a lovely couple who were looking for a new feline friend to share their lives with. They rehomed Meatloaf on a trial period with our continued support and, unsurprisingly, quickly fell for him. From the cold streets to the warmth and love of a happy home, he’d come a long way.

After making things official, his new owners, Paloma and Pete, told us: “Thank you for all your care and hard work to save his life and give him a second chance. Meatloaf is settling in well and we are in love with him. He is such a happy boy!”

Give cats like Meatloaf a loving home by adopting a cat or fostering a cat today.